The death rate could be reduced by 15%-20% if first aid is administered properly and promptly, according to the European Community's statistics on first aid, said Vice Chairman of the National Traffic Safety Committee (NTSC) Khuat Viet Hung.
The NTSC Vice Chairman made the remark at a workshop on the role of emergency aid at traffic accident scenes jointly held by the NTSC and the Health Ministry in Hanoi on August 25.
Hung said the NTSC has always appreciated the crucial role of first aid given to victims of traffic accidents and hoped for initiatives and solutions raised at the workshop to contribute to minimising the loss of lives in traffic accidents.
According to the World Health Organisation, the most important factor after traffic accidents is to administer emergency aid to the injured as soon as possible, particularly within the first hour after the accident as most deaths occur in the first hours after accidents.
Studies show that 50% of victims of traffic accidents die due to injuries at the accident scene, 30% die three to four hours after accidents and only 20% die during treatment in hospital. Thus, it is crucial to focus on first aid to minimise fatalities and disability due to injuries.
Dr. Nguyen Duc Chinh from the Viet-Duc Hospital said each year the hospital receives more than 35,000 cases of accidents and injuries including over 15,000 cases of traffic accidents. But due to improper first aid or pre-hospital emergency, many individuals have died or suffered complications before being sent to hospital.
Chinh emphasised the significance of first aid including upgrading health stations at the grassroots levels, providing more equipment for medical units and training for first aid workers, among other things.
Some delegates proposed to provide first aid training for the armed forces on patrol, traffic police, traffic inspectors and road patrol workers who can directly approach and deal with the scene to quickly provide emergency aid for victims.
Timely first aid after traffic accidents reduces death rate by 20%
The death rate could be reduced by 15%-20% if first aid is administered properly and promptly, according to the European Community's statistics on first aid, said Vice Chairman of the National Traffic Safety Committee (NTSC) Khuat Viet Hung.
Source: Nhan Dan
